By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

THE Commonwealth Ports Authority wants the Legislature to extend the hours for selling alcohol at the airport due to the flight schedules available to passengers.
CPA Executive Director Clyde K. Norita, in an interview, said they have asked lawmakers to pass legislation that will amend the provisions of the commonwealth code relating to the hours for the sale of alcohol.
He said concessionaires operating in the departure lounge area should be allowed to sell and serve alcoholic beverages without any restriction as to time of sale.
Norita said the restrictions on the sale of alcohol should not apply to the departure area of the airport as passengers have been already cleared by CNMI immigration and security screening.
“The hours for sale of alcohol in the departure area shall be without restriction but all vendors or concession operators in the departure area shall confine alcohol consumption to within their discrete and particular areas of operation so that the alcohol is consumed within those areas at all times,” according to the draft bill CPA has submitted to the Legislature.
Norita said approving CPA’s request will be a “win-win” situation for all parties involved.
“Besides additional revenue for the airport, this will also help our concessionaires as their sales will go up in serving our tourists and passengers who are waiting for their flights,” Norita said, adding that the schedule of flight departures at the airport varies.
Since Japan Airlines withdrew from Saipan in Oct. 2005, vendors and concessionaires at the airport have reported declining sales and have asked CPA to reduce their lease payments.
CPA’s draft bill stated that “no passenger may consume alcohol outside the designated area or walk about the departure area with any open alcohol container purchased from a vendor operating in the area.”
Alcohol vendors or concessionaires in the departure area “shall be responsible for the strict enforcement of the restrictions on the consumption of alcohol.”